Skip to main content

Citation Analysis in Criminology and Criminal Justice

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Most Influential Scholars in Criminology and Criminal Justice, 1986-2020

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Criminology ((BRIEFSCRIMINOL))

  • 99 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter provides an introduction to the book. In this chapter, we review the advantages of citation analysis as a measure of scholarly impact and prestige, as well as briefly discussing productivity analysis, a subsidiary form of citation analysis. We also give a brief overview of the main sources of citation data and explain why we chose to use the more labor-intensive method of examining journal reference lists. In this chapter, we also review our prior research from 1986 to 2015, which falls into three main areas. Our first stream of research examines the major criminology and criminal justice journals in the United States as well as in the major English-speaking countries around the world (Australia and New Zealand, Canada, and the United Kingdom). Our second research stream focuses specifically on American journals, looking at three major criminology journals and three major criminal justice journals. Finally, our third stream of research examines 20 American and international journals. Chapter 1 also includes a discussion of how concepts developed in criminal career research may be used in citation analysis. Finally, we conclude with an overview of some of the limitations of citation analysis.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References in the Text

  • Andrews, D. A., & Bonta, J. L. (1994). The psychology of criminal conduct (1st ed.). Anderson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, D. A., & Bonta, J. L. (1998). The psychology of criminal conduct (2nd ed.). Anderson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, D. A., & Bonta, J. L. (2003). The psychology of criminal conduct (3rd ed.). Anderson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, D. A., Zinger, I., Hoge, R. D., Bonta, J. L., Gendreau, P., & Cullen, F. T. (1990). Does correctional treatment work? A clinically relevant and psychologically informed meta-analysis. Criminology, 28, 369–404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barr, R., & Pease, K. (1990). Crime placement, displacement, and deflection. Crime and Justice, 12, 277–318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blumstein, A., Cohen, J., Roth, J. A., & Visher, C. (Eds.). (1986). Criminal careers and “career criminals” (Vol. 1). National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blumstein, A., Cohen, J., & Farrington, D. P. (1988). Criminal career research: Its value for criminology. Criminology, 26, 1–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braithwaite, J. (1989). Crime, shame, and reintegration. Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, A. J. (1989). Assessing research: Citation-count shortcomings. The Psychologist, 2, 336–344.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, S. (1985). Visions of social control: Crime, punishment, and classification. Polity.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, L. E., & Felson, M. (1979). Social change and crime rate trends: A routine activity approach. American Sociological Review, 44, 588–608.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G. (2009). Citation and content analysis. In J. M. Miller (Ed.), 21st century criminology: A reference handbook (pp. 391–397). Sage.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G. (2011a). Changes in scholarly influence in major international criminology journals, 1986–2005. Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 53, 157–188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G. (2011b). Changes in scholarly influence in major American criminology and criminal justice journals between 1986 and 2005. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 22, 493–525.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., & Farrington, D. P. (1990). Differences between British and American criminology: An analysis of citations. British Journal of Criminology, 30, 467–482.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., & Farrington, D. P. (1994a). Who are the most influential criminologists in the English-speaking world? British Journal of Criminology, 34, 204–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., & Farrington, D. P. (1994b). Who are the most-cited scholars in major American criminology and criminal justice journals? Journal of Criminal Justice, 22, 517–534.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., & Farrington, D. P. (1995). The validity of citations as a measure of influence in criminology. British Journal of Criminology, 35, 143–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., & Farrington, D. P. (1996). Crime and Justice and the criminology and criminal justice literature. Crime and Justice, 20, 265–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., & Farrington, D. P. (1998a). Changes in the most-cited scholars in major international journals between 1986–90 and 1991–95. British Journal of Criminology, 38, 156–170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., & Farrington, D. P. (1998b). Changes in the most-cited scholars in major American criminology and criminal justice journals between 1986–1990 and 1991–1995. Journal of Criminal Justice, 26, 99–116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., & Farrington, D. P. (1998c). Assessing the quality of American doctoral program faculty in criminology and criminal justice, 1991–1995. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 9, 187–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., & Farrington, D. P. (1999). Changes in the most-cited scholars in twenty criminology and criminal justice journals between 1995 and 1995. Journal of Criminal Justice, 27, 345–359.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., & Farrington, D. P. (2005). Citation research in criminology and criminal justice. In R. A. Wright & J. M. Miller (Eds.), Encyclopedia of criminology (pp. 176–177). Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., & Farrington, D. P. (2007a). Changes in scholarly influence in major international journals between 1986 and 2000. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 40, 335–360.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., & Farrington, D. P. (2007b). Changes in scholarly influence in major American criminology and criminal justice journals between 1986 and 2000. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 18, 6–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., & Farrington, D. P. (2008). Scholarly influence in criminology and criminal justice journals in 1990–2000. Journal of Criminal Justice, 36, 11–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., & Farrington, D. P. (2012). Scholarly influence in criminology and criminal justice. Nova Science Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., Farrington, D. P., & Wright, R. A. (1998). Evaluating criminology and criminal justice. Greenwood Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., Farrington, D. P., & Sorenson, J. R. (2000). Journal publications of Ph.D. graduates from American criminology and criminal justice programs, 1988–1997. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 11, 35–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., Farrington, D. P., & Iratzoqui, A. (2014). Most-cited scholars in criminology and criminal justice, 2006–2010. Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., Farrington, D. P., & Iratzoqui, A. (2020). Changes in scholarly influence in major American criminology and criminal justice journals between 1986 and 2015. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 31, 580–608.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, E. G., Farrington, D. P., & Iratzoqui, A. (2021). Changes in the most-cited scholars in 20 criminology and criminal justice journals between 1990 and 2015 and comparisons with the Asian Journal of Criminology. Asian Journal of Criminology, 16, 279–292.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cole, S. (1975). The growth of scientific knowledge: Theories of deviance as a case study. In L. A. Coser (Ed.), The idea of social structure: Papers in honor of R.K. Merton (pp. 175–200). Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole, J., & Cole, S. (1971). Measuring the quality of sociological research: Problems in the use of the Science Citation Index. American Sociologist, 6, 23–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cornish, D., & Clarke, R. V. G. (Eds.). (1986). The reasoning criminal: Rational choice perspectives on offending. Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cullen, F. T. (2012). Foreword. In E. G. Cohn & D. P. Farrington (Eds.), Scholarly influence in criminology and criminal justice (pp. vii–ix). Nova Science Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cullen, F. T., & Gilbert, K. E. (1982). Reaffirming rehabilitation. Anderson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cullen, F. T., Link, B. G., Wolfe, N. T., & Frank, J. (1985). The social dimensions of correctional officer stress. Justice Quarterly, 2, 503–533.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, J., & Sorenson, J. R. (2010). Doctoral programs in criminal justice and criminology: A meta-analysis of program ranking. Southwest Journal of Criminal Justice, 7, 6–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeZee, M. R. (1980). The productivity of criminology and criminal justice faculty. Joint Commission on Criminology and Criminal Justice Education and Standards.

    Google Scholar 

  • Douglas, R. J. (1992). How to write a highly cited article without even trying. Psychological Bulletin, 112, 405–408.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elliott, D. S., Huizinga, D. S., & Ageton, S. S. (1985). Explaining delinquency and drug use. Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ericson, R., & Haggerty, K. (1997). Policing the risk society. Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Fabianic, D. A. (1981). Institutional affiliation of authors in selected criminal justice journals. Journal of Criminal Justice, 9, 247–252.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fabianic, D. A. (2001). Frequently published scholars and educational backgrounds. Journal of Criminal Justice, 29, 119–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fabianic, D. A. (2002). Publication productivity of criminal justice faculty in criminal justice journals. Journal of Criminal Justice, 30, 549–558.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fabianic, D. A. (2012). Publication profiles at point of promotion of criminal justice faculty. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 23, 65–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farrington, D. P. (1986). Age and crime. Crime and Justice, 7, 189–250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farrington, D. P. (1995). The development of offending and antisocial behavior from childhood: Key findings from the Cambridge study in delinquent development. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 36, 929–964.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farrington, D. P., Ohlin, L. E., & Wilson, J. Q. (1986). Understanding and controlling crime: Toward a new research strategy. Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Frost, N. A., Phillips, N. D., & Clear, T. R. (2007). Productivity of criminal justice scholars across the career. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 18, 428–443.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garfield, E. (1979). Is citation analysis a legitimate evaluation tool? Scientometrics, 1, 359–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garland, D. (1990). Punishment and modern society. Clarendon Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Garland, D. (2001). The culture of control. Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, R. A., & Vicari, P. J. (1992). Eminence in social psychology: A comparison of textbook citation, Social Sciences Citation Index, and research productivity ratings. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 18, 26–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gottfredson, M. R., & Hirschi, T. (1986). The true value of lambda would appear to be zero. Criminology, 24, 213–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gottfredson, M. R., & Hirschi, T. (1990). A general theory of crime. Stanford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Hindelang, M. J., Hirschi, T., & Weis, J. G. (1981). Measuring delinquency. Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirschi, T. (1969). Causes of delinquency. University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Iratzoqui, A., Cohn, E. G., & Farrington, D. P. (2019). Thirty years of scholarly influence in international journals and its relation to the most-cited scholars in Asian criminology. Asian Journal of Criminology, 14, 179–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jennings, W. G., Gibson, C. L., Ward, J. T., & Beaver, K. M. (2008). “Which group are you in?”: A preliminary investigation of group-based publication trajectories of criminology and criminal justice scholars. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 19, 227–250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jennings, W. G., Schreck, C. J., Sturtz, M., & Mahoney, M. (2008). Exploring the scholarly output of academic organization leadership in criminology and criminal justice: A research note on publication productivity. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 19, 404–416.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khey, D. N., Jennings, W. G., Higgins, G. E., Schoepfer, A., & Langton, L. (2011). Re-ranking the top female academic ‘stars’ in criminology and criminal justice using an alternate method: A research note. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 22, 118–129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kleck, G., & Barnes, J. C. (2011). Article productivity among the faculty of criminology and criminal justice doctoral programs, 2005–2009. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 22, 43–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kleck, G., & Mims, B. (2017). Article productivity among the faculty of criminology and criminal justice doctoral programs, 2010–2014. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 28, 467–487.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kleck, G., Wang, S. K., & Tark, J. (2007). Article productivity among the faculty of criminology and criminal justice doctoral programs, 2000–2005. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 18, 385–405.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laub, J. H., & Sampson, R. J. (2003). Shared beginnings, divergent lives. Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Long, H., Boggess, L. N., & Jennings, W. G. (2011). Re-assessing publication productivity among academic ‘stars’ in criminology and criminal justice. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 22, 102–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meadows, A. J. (1974). Communication in science. Butterworths.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moffitt, T. E. (1993). Adolescence-limited and life-course-persistent antisocial behavior: A developmental taxonomy. Psychological Review, 100, 674–701.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myers, C. R. (1970). Journal citations and scientific eminence in contemporary psychology. American Psychologist, 25, 1041–1048.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nagin, D. S. (2005). Group-based modeling of development. Harvard University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Nagin, D. S., & Farrington, D. P. (1992). The stability of criminal potential from childhood to adulthood. Criminology, 30, 235–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nagin, D. S., Farrington, D. P., & Moffitt, T. E. (1995). Life-course trajectories of different types of offenders. Criminology, 33, 111–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliver, W. M., Swindell, S., Marks, J., & Balusek, K. (2009). Book ‘em Dano: The scholarly productivity of institutions and their faculty in criminal justice books. Southwest Journal of Criminal Justice, 6, 59–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orrick, E. A., & Weir, H. (2011). The most prolific sole and lead authors in elite criminology and criminal justice journals, 2000–2009. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 22, 24–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paternoster, R., Brame, R., Mazerolle, P., & Piquero, A. R. (1998). Using the correct statistical test for the equality of regression coefficients. Criminology, 36, 859–866.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peritz, B. C. (1983). Are methodological papers more cited than theoretical or empirical ones? The case of sociology. Scientometrics, 5, 211–218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piquero, A. R., Farrington, D. P., & Blumstein, A. (2003). The criminal career paradigm. Crime and Justice, 30, 359–506.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piquero, A. R., Farrington, D. P., & Blumstein, A. (2007). Key issues in criminal career research. Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Pratt, T. C., & Cullen, F. T. (2000). The empirical status of Gottfredson and Hirschi’s general theory of crime: A meta-analysis. Criminology, 38, 931–964.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pratt, T. C., & Cullen, F. T. (2005). Assessing macro-level predictors and theories of crime: A meta-analysis. Crime and Justice, 32, 373–450.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rice, S. K., Terry, K. J., Miller, H. V., & Ackerman, A. R. (2007). Research trajectories of female scholars in criminology and criminal justice. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 18, 360–384.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rushton, J. P., & Endler, N. S. (1979). More to-do about citation counts in British psychology. Bulletin of the British Psychological Society, 32, 107–109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, R. J., & Laub, J. H. (1993). Crime in the making: Pathways and turning points through life. Harvard University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, R. J., Raudenbush, S. W., & Earls, F. (1997). Neighborhoods and violent crime: A multilevel study of collective efficacy. Science, 277, 918–924.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, L. W. (1992). Policing domestic violence: Experiments and dilemmas. Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, L. W., Gottfredson, D., MacKenzie, D., Eck, J., Reuter, P., & Bushway, S. (1997). Preventing crime: What works, what doesn’t, what’s promising. US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shutt, J. E., & Barnes, J. C. (2008). Reexamining criminal justice ‘star power’ in a larger sky: A belated response to Rice et al. on sociological influence in criminology and criminal justice. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 19, 213–226.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sorenson, J. R. (1994). Scholarly productivity in criminal justice: Institutional affiliation of authors in the top ten criminal justice journals. Journal of Criminal Justice, 22, 535–547.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sorenson, J. R., & Pilgrim, R. (2002). The institutional affiliations of authors in leading criminology and criminal justice journals. Journal of Criminal Justice, 30, 11–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sorenson, J. R., Patterson, A. L., & Widmayer, A. (1992). Publication productivity of faculty members in criminology and criminal justice doctoral programs. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 3, 1–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sorenson, J. R., Patterson, A. L., & Widmayer, A. (1993). Measuring faculty productivity in a multidisciplinary field: A response to Professor Marenin. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 4, 193–196.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stack, S. (2001). The effect of field of terminal degree on scholarly productivity: An analysis of criminal justice faculty. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 12, 19–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steiner, B., & Schwartz, J. (2006). The scholarly productivity of institutions and their faculty in leading criminology and criminal justice journals. Journal of Criminal Justice, 34, 393–400.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steiner, B., & Schwartz, J. (2007). Assessing the quality of doctoral programs in criminology in the United States. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 18, 53–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taggart, W. A., & Holmes, M. D. (1991). Institutional productivity in criminal justice and criminology: An examination of author affiliation in selected journals. Journal of Criminal Justice, 19, 549–561.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, C. W., & Bronick, M. J. (1984). The quality of doctoral programs in deviance, criminology, and criminal justice: An empirical assessment. Journal of Criminal Justice, 12, 21–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • West, D. J., & Farrington, D. P. (1977). The delinquent way of life. Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, J. Q., & Herrnstein, R. J. (1985). Crime and human nature. Simon and Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolfgang, M. E., Figlio, R. M., & Sellin, T. (1972). Delinquency in a birth cohort. University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolfgang, M. E., Figlio, R. M., & Thornberry, T. P. (1978). Evaluating criminology. Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ellen G. Cohn .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Cohn, E.G., Farrington, D.P., Skinner, G.C.M. (2023). Citation Analysis in Criminology and Criminal Justice. In: Most Influential Scholars in Criminology and Criminal Justice, 1986-2020. SpringerBriefs in Criminology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-23596-2_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-23596-2_1

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-23595-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-23596-2

  • eBook Packages: Law and CriminologyLaw and Criminology (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics